Doug Ellis aiming his musket. Photo by Gabriel Martins
After an early-morning skirmish in Lexington, the shot heard round the world rang out in Concord on April 19, 1775. The bloody defiance of British authority gave rise to widespread resistance from citizen soldiers armed with muskets and an itch for independence.
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Today, some are donning the blue woolen coats of George Washington’s army, hoisting muskets, and re-enacting the war’s early days.
Since 1962, the Concord Minute Men have been commemorating the militias of that time. The modern-day patriots, a familiar presence in Concord parades and at other local events, will play a featured role in the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Big day, big presence
Capt. Carl Sweeney, who has been a Concord Minute Man for 54 years, starting when he was 16, will lead the 47-strong unit on Patriots Day through North Bridge, along with a music unit. After that, they’ll head to Minute Man National Park, where they’ll perform vignettes of the war’s first battles.
Sweeney said a lot of work went into recruiting members through newspapers, social media, and word of mouth.
“We’ve been very, very fortunate,” Sweeney said. “We’ve picked up some really great, dedicated, talented people, and our goal is [that] you come join us and you do what you can do to make it fun.”
Drills and rehearsals
The Minute Men have been preparing assiduously leading up to the anniversary. The music company — typically playing fifes and drums — have met every Tuesday night, year round.
Doug Ellis in the “shoulder arms” position. Photo by Gabriel Martins
As for the group holding muskets, they ran three to four drills, starting in January, with different units in the area, said Doug Ellis, Sweeney’s predecessor as captain.
“We’ll drill with Acton, Lincoln, Sudbury, Bedford; usually we’ll do it in Lincoln,” Ellis said. “It’s always just a better experience when you’ve got more people doing it.”
They strive for authenticity, Ellis said. The unit will follow the 1764 royal manual of arms, a drill protocol used by the British and adopted by the Colonials.
“They drilled in 1774, same as we are now,” Ellis said. “The whole idea is, we get out there, we do the drills. So we’re all doing the commands the same way. We understand the commands. We understand how it’s supposed to work.”
Safety is paramount
A different group’s musket misfired a live round through a beam in the Westford Museum during a practice in 2023, so the Minute Men exercise extreme caution to prevent mishaps.
“The primary key is safety because we do have live powder when we’re firing,” Ellis said. “An accident is not acceptable, and we haven’t had one, and we don’t ever want to have one.”
It’s no easy feat being a Minute Man — nor does it come cheap.
The typical uniform costs around $4,000, although they have hand-me-downs from former members. Maintaining authenticity standards with the National Park Service is difficult. Ellis recalled when a person from NPS accused him of having a cotton canteen strap rather than an authentic hemp one, which he had.
“They’ll split hairs … over the finest details,” Ellis said. “I, for example, will not participate in a national park event because of how just overbearing they are on those little things that don’t matter.”
Sweeney said such strict standards can discourage newcomers, which is why the Concord Minute Men won’t turn anyone away who wants to join.
“We’re really a parade and a celebratory unit, [and] if somebody really wants to represent the town and participate, then we’re all welcoming,” Sweeney said. “Come on in, and we’ll make it work.”
Bicuspids and tricorns
Dentist Stephen M. Vultaggio has been a Minute Man for eight years. His office is decorated in Colonial memorabilia. A tricorn hat leans against a sketch of himself in a Minute Man uniform.
A blue binder in his office traces his lineage to a foot soldier in the Revolution.
“You can’t go very far without bumping into history,” Vultaggio said.
Stephen M. Vultaggio in his revolutionary garb. Courtesy photo
He gained an appreciation for history through his grandmother, Florence Towne Bernier, who was head of the Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization for women directly descended from Revolutionary patriots, in Lexington for three decades.
Vultaggio has since joined other re-enactment groups, such as the 1812 Marine Guard, which works with the Navy and conducts demonstrations on the USS Constitution.
“I think my nickname sometimes, especially with the 1812 Marines, is ‘Hollywood,’ because I love getting out with the people,” Vultaggio said. “I feel like one of those characters at Disney they line up to get [pictures] with. I just like making people smile.”
This story is part of a partnership between The Concord Bridge and the Boston University Department of Journalism.